Monthly Archives: March 2015

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Question:What is your deepest need at this moment? How do you sense God’s presence with you in the midst of your need?

Prayer: O God, in our brokenness, and in that of others, we know You are present. We know that through Christ Jesus, there is nothing that separates us from Your great love. Thank you. We are humbled by Your love and grateful for Your presence. In silence and in wonder, we pause and pray. Amen.

~ Debbie Eisenbise, Director of Intergenerational Ministries

Congregational Life Ministries of the Church of the Brethren is offering these simple prayers and questions in connection to this year’sLent Devotionalwritten by Craig H. Smith, district executive for the Atlantic Northeast District of the Church of the Brethren and ordained minister. (Available from Brethren Pressinprint and E-Book formats). Join us as we look and listen for the coming of the Word through the reading of scripture, Craig’s reflections, times of prayer, and conversations on this blog.

According to leaders of the Nigerian Church of the Brethren in Nigeria, as reported by Markus Gamache, Director of the Lifeline Compassionate Global Initiatives (LCGI), the 2015 Nigerian General Elections were more peaceful, and more people were able to vote than ever expected. Yes, there were sporadic incidents of violence around the country, but not the massive violence many had feared. The three states in northeastern Nigeria, Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa, were able to participate in the election, except for a few local areas which the Nigerian military had not taken back from Boko Haram. Most of the internally displaced persons (IDP’s) that are still in the state they reside in and have permanent voters card (PVC) were able to vote. But others, who have fled to other states, were not, because of the dangers and difficulties of travel. Few displaced people currently living in Jos, and only ten out of the 724 people in the Gurku Interfaith Camp, and were able to travel to Yola to cast their ballots.

Reports of sporadic violence around the country include the following: In northeastern Nigeria, a pastor from the Mararaba area reported Sunday night, sporadic gun shots at Mararaba, Mubi, and Kwarhi. People in Benue, reported some threats and attacks at some polling sites, and in Borno and Gombe states, some people killed. In some other areas the party agents forced people, by threat of violence, to vote for specific candidates. Officials in the Plateau State reported some houses burned in the Quan Pan local government area and a house in In Jos North. In the Rivers State, from which the wife of the Nigerian president came, people reported serious challenges between the security personnel and civilians, including a gun battle with some people killed and many injured. In Kano a special aid to the Nigerian president escaped death from political thugs preventing him to cast his vote.

In Jos, where I am located, there was strict security on the streets both Saturday, the day of the election, and Sunday. Security guards blocked certain streets, checking the cars before allowing them to pass. Generally the streets have been empty, shops closed, and people cautious about going out. Many Christians did not attend Sunday worship services because of uncertainty of the situation.

In spite of these incidents, people here I talk to, see this as a peaceful election and call the current situation “peaceful, positive, and calm.” They just hope and pray that it remains so until and after the election results are announced in the next couple days.

Prayer: O God, You give us so much. Life itself is a gift. You call us to live with open minds, open hearts and open hands. We hear You, God. We thank You.

This day we ask for the vision and creativity of Mary, to seize the moment and give the unexpected gift, the costly offering. We ask for her courage and compassion, to reach out and show care for others even if we are criticized and maligned for doing so. And we ask for her humility, to receive Your protection and blessing whenever we step out in faith. Guide us, we pray. Amen.

Question:How will you step out in faith, live compassionately, give generously throughout this day?

~ Debbie Eisenbise, Director of Intergenerational Ministries

Congregational Life Ministries of the Church of the Brethren is offering these simple prayers and questions in connection to this year’sLent Devotionalwritten by Craig H. Smith, district executive for the Atlantic Northeast District of the Church of the Brethren and ordained minister. (Available from Brethren Pressinprint and E-Book formats). Join us as we look and listen for the coming of the Word through the reading of scripture, Craig’s reflections, times of prayer, and conversations on this blog.

Reflection:Preparation is definitely an important part of our life, as talked about in the devotional today. But what happens when our plans and preparations need to be adjusted? Palm Sunday is one of my favorite days out of the year, mostly because of a family story of Palm Sunday 1992. The church that my family attends, at that time only allowed children up to grade 3 wave the palms in the parade that are typical in most churches. This Palm Sunday was the last year that my sister was allowed to wave the palms and she was excited and prepared to do so. However, her preparations were derailed as she and my brothers, instead of being in church, were at my grandmother’s house because my mother was preparing to give birth to me. Our preparations do not always go to plan; I’m sure Jesus’ disciples had preparations that Palm Sunday long ago that needed to be adjusted in the following week and beyond.

Question: What are you preparing for currently? How could your preparations change?

Prayer: God, help us to prepare, but also help us to adjust when Your plans require us to create new preparations. Amen.

~ Laura Whitman, Special Projects Coordinator

Congregational Life Ministries of the Church of the Brethren is offering these simple prayers and questions in connection to this year’sLent Devotionalwritten by Craig H. Smith, district executive for the Atlantic Northeast District of the Church of the Brethren and ordained minister. (Available from Brethren Pressinprint and E-Book formats). Join us as we look and listen for the coming of the Word through the reading of scripture, Craig’s reflections, times of prayer, and conversations on this blog.

Question:The idea of there being those days and that time can be limiting and causing individuals to be stuck. What are some ways we can actively work towards “The Branch” today?

Prayer: God, allow us to look forward to the days that you have promised and still remain present in the work You require of us today. Amen.

~ Laura Whitman, Special Projects Coordinator

Congregational Life Ministries of the Church of the Brethren is offering these simple prayers and questions in connection to this year’sLent Devotionalwritten by Craig H. Smith, district executive for the Atlantic Northeast District of the Church of the Brethren and ordained minister. (Available from Brethren Pressinprint and E-Book formats). Join us as we look and listen for the coming of the Word through the reading of scripture, Craig’s reflections, times of prayer, and conversations on this blog.

Question:How do you view success? Do you long for it or run from it? Is there a way that you can view success in a different way in your day to day life?

Prayer: God, help us to reach for the success that you desire of us, and not the successes of the world. Amen.

~ Laura Whitman, Special Projects Coordinator

Congregational Life Ministries of the Church of the Brethren is offering these simple prayers and questions in connection to this year’sLent Devotionalwritten by Craig H. Smith, district executive for the Atlantic Northeast District of the Church of the Brethren and ordained minister. (Available from Brethren Pressinprint and E-Book formats). Join us as we look and listen for the coming of the Word through the reading of scripture, Craig’s reflections, times of prayer, and conversations on this blog.

I spend the majority of my day assisting in a kindergarten classroom in Roanoke, Va. I tie shoes, sound out words, and referee disputes. My mind is always whirling as I try to think one step ahead, make decisions on the fly, and respond to the chorus of little voices calling my name. As much as I love it, sometimes it is exhausting!

I also coordinate a weekend snack program that sends food home to the school’s neediest students. All its supplies are stored in a closet on the top floor of the building. Amidst the chaos of the classroom, this has become my reprieve. In this windowless pantry I am in total control. I organize, restore order, and strangely enough, have found a sanctuary. It is my sacred space in the school.

A synonym of “sacred” is “holy” which means “set apart.” The storage closet and the space I create when I curl up after a long week with dinner and a good book have become sacred to me because they are places that are set apart for me to rest.

Rest is essential for human beings. Our brains process information while we sleep, but our bodies were not built to be always on the go. God rested (Genesis 2:2-3), and when God brought his people out of slavery and established them as a new nation, God gave them the gift of Sabbath—regular times set apart for rest (cf. Deuteronomy 5:12-15, Leviticus 23).

My life is full of commitments and requests, and there is always more I wish I could do. The temptation to overfill my schedule is always present. Even so—or perhaps all the more—I am called to create sacred spaces to rest. Regular times of rest force me to prioritize, help me gain perspective, and give me a chance to recharge so I can return to work refreshed. These times of rest do not have to only be on Sunday. The purpose of the Sabbath is to ensure we finite humans regularly rest our bodies and reconnect with God.

I encourage you to find ways to create sacred spaces in your life. Embrace God’s gift of Sabbath rest wherever you can find it. Have the courage to be still; forgive yourself when you fail. Return restored and refreshed.

DAILY LINK WITH GOD 2015 A Daily Devotional Guide from the EYN (Church of the Brethren in Nigeria)

EYN leaders in Nigeria believe prayer is one of the most important ways to support the Nigerian people and the Church. These daily devotions were written by EYN members and published by the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria. Reading them daily is a powerful way we can be in solidarity and connect with our brothers and sisters caught in this crisis. EYN’s daily devotional for 2015 will be posted a week at a time on this blog, appearing mid-week for the following week. More information about the crisis can be found at www.nigeriacrisis.org.

Newsline reminds me that the Chibok girls are missing: Still? Where could they be? How hard can it be to find them?Are they still alive? What are they doing tothem?

A child, who lives a few block away but “on the wrong side of the tracks”, is missing: How does that happen here? What are the police doing about it?

I watch my father hold my sleeping daughter on his chest: Is that how he held me? How has she grown up so fast?

Then just as suddenly: Can I keep her safe?

An email arrives with a link about an unarmed black man has been hurt by the police: Again? Why?

My best friend’s husband has cancer. I haven’t heard from her in a while. Should I call her? Why can’t she live close enough to invite for dinner? Why did this happen to her?

It is 5:00: Already? What am I making for dinner? What is in the fridge?

As I cook, the radio describes an act of terrorism. It no longer seems to matter if this is one that happened two years ago or two hours ago. If it happened here or there. When will this ever end? Is peace even possible?

The Chibok girls are still missing: What am I supposed to do about it? Pray?

Suddenly I am impatient with the way that moments of joy, my personal peaceful happiness, eclipse the greater misery of the world. And just as angry that the world, with all its grief and violence, intrudes on my domestic calm. It seems impossible that my heart, that my faith, can hold both. It feels unfair, impossible that God is present in it all.

Question:How can I worry about what’s for my dinner and worry about global hunger? Is there enough love in my heart, in my faith, to remember those who are hungry in my community? How do I make space for the daily joys and the daily sadness? How do I make space for my concerns and those of wider world?

~ Gimbiya Kettering, Intercultural Ministries Director of the Church of the Brethren

The upcoming 2015 Intercultural Retreat All God’s People Say Amen, May 1-3 at Harrisburg First Church of the Brethren will explore how we interact at both the personal and national levels, exploring questions for our daily lives and for the wider body of faith. For more information and to register, please visit: http://www.brethren.org/intercultural/godspeople2015/

Congregational Life Ministries of the Church of the Brethren is offering these simple prayers and questions in connection to this year’sLent Devotionalwritten by Craig H. Smith, district executive for the Atlantic Northeast District of the Church of the Brethren and ordained minister. (Available from Brethren Pressinprint and E-Book formats). Join us as we look and listen for the coming of the Word through the reading of scripture, Craig’s reflections, times of prayer, and conversations on this blog.

I thought, I have time to take a look around town before my meetings in the morning.

The dropping dusk light makes long, ominous shadows of the unfamiliar city. On the corner is an older homeless man leaning over a shopping cart. Three younger men are standing outside a thrift store, talking loudly –to me it sounds like arguing. A woman is pulling a child roughly by the arm to cross against the light and for a moment it seems like none of the drivers will stop for them. It is a town that has “fallen on hard times”. Grand houses are empty. Half the poles are vintage ornate, the other half leaning wooden poles. I wonder if it is possible to power wash a whole city.

By the time I park the car, I am beginning to think I should turn around and go back to the well-lit, strip-mall safety of my hotel. And if I was alone, I probably would. But my daughter, a toddler, is in the back pleading for the opportunity to get out of her car seat and stretch her legs. So, I’ve committed to this adventure. There is a used bookstore on the corner. In the children’s section there is a child who is probably 3 years older than my daughter. I smile at him hoping for a playmate. Instead he pushes my daughter off a chair. I redirect her attention to a wooden activity center which he promptly grabs away from us. His mother looks up and then away. Each time I take a book from the shelf, read the first page or two, he takes it. My frustrated daughter is crying and I think I might too.

The next morning, I awake to snow. Exiting the highway, I find myself back in the tight blocks of downtown. It is as unfamiliar as it was last night, but the flurrying snow settles like frosting on the trim of buildings, over cars, and even on my own eyelashes. At Harrisburg First Church of the Brethren, three different people smile and point me towards the front door.

A man in a paint splattered sweatshirt, gives me a ticket, You get a meal with this.

Musicians are warming up for worship.

A woman, with a little girl of her own, says, There is a children’s room.

Her child smiles at my daughter, who smiles back and waves. The sanctuary is warm and the crisp morning light filters through the windows. People are easy with one another and with me. That they have never seen me before does not give anyone pause. I am welcomed without fanfare or expectation. We are all equal in our need to be in this holy place. I am suddenly humbled, realizing that I have come to this place from my own “hard times” –that I am weary and hungry too. Mostly, I am too busy to admit my urgent needs, my grimy moments, and my run-down places. As the praise hymn starts, my heart rises with the voices around me, exalted with hope and faith. The scales have fallen from my eyes: The morning, the people around me, and this place are splendidly, wonderfully made.

Question:Do you feel like you have fallen on hard times? Do you long to return to what was – the more glorious times of the past? Are you ready to see the splendor of the moment?

Prayer:Dear God,You know my moment – it’s darkness and dirt. That I am tired from travel, hungry for home. But in the midst of this journey, I am reminded I am standing on holy ground. That You are with me, in me, and around me. May I view others with the compassion and love that You view me. Amen.

~ Gimbiya Kettering, Intercultural Ministries Director of the Church of the Brethren

Congregational Life Ministries of the Church of the Brethren is offering these simple prayers and questions in connection to this year’sLent Devotionalwritten by Craig H. Smith, district executive for the Atlantic Northeast District of the Church of the Brethren and ordained minister. (Available from Brethren Pressinprint and E-Book formats). Join us as we look and listen for the coming of the Word through the reading of scripture, Craig’s reflections, times of prayer, and conversations on this blog.